| Local Authority search | A compulsory (if obtaining a mortgage) search carried out at the Local Authority to check a wide range of matters that may affect the property. The search does not extend to the surrounding area. The result of the search is supplied by the Local Authority and contains certain information held on Council records regarding the property, e.g. whether the road is a public road, whether the building is a listed building, whether any Council grants have been made that may be repayable to the Council, whether there are any outstanding Planning and Building Regulation Approval matters relating to this particular property. It will not give information about planning applications or proposals for adjoining properties or the surrounding area. |
| Environmental search | This search is supplemental to the local search to establish if there are any environmental issues affecting a property. These may include flooding, landfil and previous uses of the land. It does not involve an environmental expert/scientist physically checking the property. It is a search/check by the environmental search company of current and historic land use records up to a radius of 500 metres of the property, with particular emphasis on land use that could result in contamination, or could have resulted in such contamination. |
| Drainage/water search | A search carried out through the utility company responsible for the water and drainage in the locality to check whether the property is connected to mains water and drainage and whether there are any other issues relating to the property. |
| Coal mining search | If the property is in an area designated as a coal mining area this will check to see whether there are any current or historic issues which may affect the property. |
| Flood report | A report which provides an overview of whether the property lies within an area of potential or previous flood risk. |
